Pneumatic pumping apparatus



ug. 13, 19?9. y G, B SMALL 1,724,856

PNEMAT I C PUMP ING APPARATUS Filed Deo. 24, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 1 w .xr "ls l UEE 1" N 2| lx .MINI 1M wi Il |||ll^l|ll|| Val @E i l f "mm1 www 'V vi t ik Q y r Q n n l INVENTOR X' )Bgm g5/M v b Q Mimi/ m ATTORNEY Aug. 13, 1929. f G. B. SMALL PNEUMAT 1C. FUMPING APPARATU S Filed Dec. 24, 1927 2` Sheets-Sheet Hill 'l' nu 111 hm. wh AQ NS QS nv Nw QM www TII un. Jun

INVENTOR gear c55/27a# ATTORNEY v Patente-Cl Aug. v13 ,41929 .l l l l I 1,724,856 UNT-Tap STATES PATENT OFFICE.

@BORSE B. BELLI?, OF TULSA, OILAHOKA, ASBIGNOB l' THREE-,CURTIS T0 TIDAI: QI'L GOKPANY, Ol' TULSA, OKLAHOIA, 'A CORPORATION 0l' OKLAHOI.

'menne summe numeros. application mea'necember a4, im. semi no. 94am.

My invention relates to pneumatic pumpthrough the tubing into tra 9 is a conduit ing apparatus, and more particularly to api 22 for conducting a major ow of artificial aratus for sup ly of air or gas to a we ressure medium, hereafter referredtoas air,v or displacing uid therefrom, the princiinto the trap for release within oil accumupal object of the present invention being to lated in the trap. control the displacing flow of air or gas in v The conduit 22 is of sulliciently lem di-y re onse'to pressure induced' by rising head ameter than the tubing 8 to provide an anof uid in the well; the present invention benular' channel 23 between the conduit and I in an improvement on that forming the 'tubing through which oil displaced from the lo su ject matter of my co-pending applica.- trap is delivered into the ilow line 20, and u tion Serial No. 229,414. i lea ing through the casing head and to near `In accomplishing this and other objects of the bottom o the casing, exteriorly of the 'the invention I have provided improved detubing. 8, is a conduit 24 for oonductingithe tails of structure, the preferred forms lof pressure created therein by the rising '15 which are illustrated in the accompanying Aof the oil to the mechanism for controlling '7 drawings, wherein: j flow .-of air to the w ll which will hereafterh Fig. lis a side elevation of the apparatus, be described. villustrating parts of the valve mechanism Mechanism for controlling-flow of air toy and well in central vertical section, theparts the well through line .22 comprises a valve ,o appearing as when the displacing ow is inhousing having an upper cover llate 26 'u terrupted to permitaccumulation of'oil in and a lower cover plate 27 secu to the' vthe well. housing by bolts 28; secondary valve units Fig. 2 is a similar view, illustrating the 29 and 30, including valve and diaphragm arts as they appear when admitting ilow housings 31 and 32,= being mounted on the g5 or displacing oil from the well. upper plate 26 as and for the purpose pres- '.n" Referring more in detail to the drawingl: ent described. A 1 designates a well hole terminating in t e T e assembled housings 25, 31 and 32 are usual shot hole 2 and 3 a well casing com- -supported by a chair 33 vfrom a suitable prising a shoe 4 seated on cap rock 5 above base, here shown to consist of a pressure tank the oil sand 6, in accordance with common 34, forming part of the apparatus, and to u ractice. which the chairis attache y bolts 35, ex- The casing 3 is capped by a head-7 to seal i tended through feet 36 on the chair legs 37.

the casing and retain the artiiicial fluid pres- The master valve chest 25 includes spaced sure medium therein. chambers 38 and 39, having inwardly ac- '35 ,Extending through the head 7 is tubingS, ing seats 40 and 41, connected by a throat ,o referably equippe at its lower end wit a 42, and contained within the respective iquid trap 9, comprising a cylindrical body chambers is a valve 43 and a piston 44 of `10 of larger diameter than the tubing, a'redifferential areas, rigidly connected by a duced neck 11 at its upper end threaded onto stem 45, having a reduced shank 46 at one y the tubing, and a cloM bottom 12 having end extended through the valve 43 Iand u a a built-u boss 13, provdedwith a p0!'t 14 forming a shoulder 47 'to which the valve VThree ed ntO the port 14 and depfmdlng is held y a nut 48; the other end of the stem into the well pocket is a strainer pipe 15, extending through the piston 44 and having and threaded nto the port 14 and extending a shoulder 49 to which the piston is held byb 45 into the trap chamber 16 is a nipple 17 carrya nut 50, ing a downwardl seating check valve 18,- A channel 51 opening` laterally through Vthrough which oi admitted to the strainer the stem and extending t rough the upper is assed to the tra chamber, but reart thereof, rovides open communication Vented romletllm t0 t ereby efec@ O0 ec- Eetween the ront, 42 und the part. 0f the tion of a charge in the trap. chamber 39 above the piston 44, the "end of 10';

l y A fitting 19 on the tubing above the casing the channel opening into the upper 7 i head provides connection for a flow line 20 tion of the chamber 39 through which displaced oil is delivered to at 52, for a purpose prentl a pipe line, or storage, and extendin through The piston 44 has a valve 55 a reducing coupling 21 on the T tting and lowerend adapted tooeat ai the neat 41, and ik;

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.2 l a l l 1,124,851

ha a lower-face of smaller area than the v neclr 65 of housing 31 for communication to ndlthe piston to provide a preponderance with the valve chamber 71, and 83 designates o ressure on the iston for holding the a line leading from the chamber 71 to the hea 44 on its seat w en pressure is balanced to of the piston chamber 39. y in the chamber 39 and throat 42. ll'he back preure line 24, heretofore men- 70 Opening laterally from the-throat is tioned, leads from the bottom of the diaa port 53, and threaded into said port is a phragm chamber 66 to a point in the well nipple 54 havin a reducing coupling 55 for considerably below the head level of the well, the conduit 22, t rough which the maJorilow and is equipped with a hand valve 84, presm of air is delivered to the well; the conduit 22 sure indicator 85 and check valve 86 which 75 being equipped with a hand valve 56 for prevents return How of air pressure through manually controlling the flow. vthe conduit from the chamber 66 to the well. Openi through the cover plate 27 at the iWith the parts above mentioned conlower en of the valve chestis a port. 57 structed and assembled as described, and, asi l; into which is threaded an L fitting 58 having suming oil in the well to be below its head 80 a reducing coupling 59 for a line 60 leading level (Fig. 1), as after preliminary swabbing from a compressor, or other source of supply or following a blowol with the present apv of air under pressures indicated by a porparatus, air admitted throu h the line 60 j tion of the c inder C' the line being proasses in major flow to the c amber 38 and n vided with a hand va ve 61 for manually orces the iston valve 43 to its seat, under g5 controlling llow to the valve mechanism and which conditions no air is admitted-to the with a lubricator 62 controlled bg a valve'63 well',

from which lubricant is supplie to the line Oil flowing into the well from the sand by a press, indicated by hand wheel 64. rises into the trap past the check valve and u It is apparent that air admitted lthrou h within the well about the trap, finally sub- 9o the line 60 to the chamber 38 will force t e merging the outlet end of the pilot line 24 valve 43 te its seat and retain it there vto toliquid seal the line. When this sealin cut oil .ow to the' well until the valve is occurs, continued rise of oil in the well and opened by means presenti described. pilot line causes the gas in the pilot line to 80 The valve housing mein r 31 of the seccompressed until it builds up a pressure 95 ondary valveunit 29 includes a neck 65 that lsuilicient to lift the diaphragm 70 against is threaded onto the cover plate 26 and a tension of the spring 76 and unseat the valve body portion enlarged to .cooperate witha 74. When the valve 74 is unseated, a minor' cover member 66 in forming a diaphragm How ofair passes from line 80 through the $5 chamber 67, the enlargement and cover memopening 82, valve chamber 71 and pipe 83, 100 ber having flanges 68 connected by bolts 69, into the chamber 39 above the piston 44 a dia hra 70 being extended across the building up a pressure in chamber 39 equal cham r 6 with its periphery located beto the pressure in chamber 38, the first flow tween the liangas 68 and clamped in place of air from pipe 83 closing the valve 99 eo by the bolts 69. y presently described) to prevent loss of air l105 Located in the neck 81 is a valve chamberl t rough the vent control ed by said valve. 71 connecti with the dia hra chamber When this equalizationof preure occurs, 67 through a re 72, the va ve c amber havthel piston 44, being of greater area than the ing an upwardly facing seat 73 for a valve valve 43, is shifted downwardly to unseat the 4| 74, having a stem 75 extended throu h the valve 43 and admit a major flow of air 11o bore 72 into the diaphragm chamber 6 and to the well through throat 42, nip le 54 and -there connected with the diaphragm 70 line 22; such flow acting to ex oil from which is adapted for actuation within the the trap through tubing 8 and)e continuing chamber 67. A4 ring 76 seated on the diauntil the trap is emptied and the major flow Sophragm 70oftec stem 75 and retained in the recessed head 77 Mounted in the chamber 67 in the secondof an adjustingI screw 78 threaded into the ary valve housing 32 is a dia hragm 70', cover member 65 and secured on the housing and connecting ports 87 and 88 eading from b a lock nut 79, normally holds the diaportions of the chamber 67 on opposite lviragm in down position to retain the valve sides of the diaphragm is a pipe 89 provided 12o 74 closed. The screw 78 serves as means for with a downwardly seating check valve 90 adjusting the tension of the spring so that for reventing return of air from the up r ration of the diaphragm 70 for o e to t e lower portions of chamber 67. he t e valve 74.-may be eEected at any esirg lower portion of chamber 67. is in com- ,l0 well pressure; mumcation with the upper portion of the 125 80 a conduit or valve sulply chamber 67 through a pipe 91 threaded line equipped with a filter 81, and lea ng into .the ports 92 and 93 of the respective from a int in the main su plyv line 60 behousing members 31 and 32. tween t e valve 61.and valira chamber 38 Located in the housing 32 below the amber 67 about the cut oil', as I will now describe. 115

l and connecting with an opening 82 in the chamber 67 isa valve chamber 94 con'nectlao.

. lines through the vent flow is diverted through the line ber 67 depreing the diaphragm ang.r

mln

check valve 105,

above the valve seat 41, linte a manifold 107 held downwardly ed with the upper portion of the primary piston chamber 39 through a channel 9 and having a throat 96 above its seat 97 provided with a vent 98. v

99 designates a valve located in chamber 94 and having a stem 100 extended through the throat 96 and through a bore 101 in t e valve housing leading from the throat 96 into the chamber 67 where it is rigidly connected with the diaphragm 7 0. Weight of the diaphragm 70' normally retains the valve 99 below its seat, so that air may drained from the major flow chambers ort 98 when supply of major flow is cut o Leading from the nipple 54 in the major flow lineto the port 87 in the housing 32 and communicating with the lower portion of dia hr chamber 67', is a branch 102 throng w ich part of the major flow is diverted to chamber 67 below the diaphra 70', and leading from the top of cham r 67 to storage tank 34 is a line 103 through which part of the air from the major flow passing through the line 102, chamber 67 and pipe 89 is directed to the storage tank to build up a ressure therein equal to that of the major ovv.

104 designates a return line from the tank 34 to the branch 102, including a bac for relief of the tank through the nipple 54, he master valve throat 42 and vent ports 106, which' open from the piston valve -chamber 39 directly A line 108 connects with the manifold for conducting the vented medium to a point of discharge.

When major flow to the well is established, as heretofore described, a part of the 102 to the lower portion of chamber 67 lifting the diaphragh 7 0 to retain valve 99 and prevent esca of air .from chamber 39. Aircontinuing to flow through line 102 opens the check valve 90 in the ipe 89 and passes to the upper part of t e chamber 67 and through line 103 to the tank 34 to build up pressure in the tank equal to that of the major flow. Some of the air admitted to chamber 67 through t e line 102 is delivered through pipe 91 into the top of -chaming valve 4, thereby cuttino flow of air to the chamber 39, a ove the piston valve 44. Cutting oi supply of. chamber 39 by minor flow does not, however, affect the master valve, as a part of the major flow has passed through the channel in the stem 45 to balance pressure in the chamber 39 and throat 42, so that the fiston is by gravity an due to the differential in area between the top of the piston and the lower face of valve head 44'.

the pi ot line,

paratus may repeat its operation when clos-I Air passing to the well trap in major flow in the trap and lifts the oil, as heretofore mentioned. When the trap has been emptied, air from the maj or flow escapes through the tubin reducing pressure in the line 22 and in t e lower rtion of diaphragm chamber 67 below t at in the tank 34, and back pressure from the tank through line 103 returns diaphra 7 0 to its lower p0- sition, unseating va ve -99 so that rassure on the piston 44 is relieved throng channel and vent 98, and the primary valve returned to initial sition by pressure of the major ilow on t e piston valve 43, air esca ing' 39 t rough the vent 98 more rapidly than it is admitted through the restricted terminal 52 of the channel 51 in stem 45, to unbalanee the pressure and permit lift of the piston. f

The piston 44, when raised, exposes the vents 106 permitting air to esca therethrough from the chamber, and the storage tank 34 into the manifold chamber 107, which encircles the valve housing member to pass off through the pipe 108.

The exhausting of the pressure continues until the parts again aume their original position, when major flow of air to the trap is cut oil, and the standing check valve is relieved and may o n to permit the tra to be recharged with oil from the wel thereb lowering level of the oil relative to to uncover the line so that the aP the pilot line again becomes submerged by `oil inflowing from the sand.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. In combination with a well havixg a discharge line, a source of sup ly'of uid pressure medium having a sup y line leadl ing to the well, a 'return line eading from the well, and means controlling flow to the suppl line by pressure in the return line inclu ing ma'or valve and piston chambers, connected di erential area valve and piston members in the respective chambers, the valve normally obstructing flow to the supply line, a minor flow line for eonductin pressure medium to the piston chamber, an a valve operable by pressure in the return line to open the minor flow line and by preesure in the supply line to close the valve.

2. In combination with a well having a discharge line, a source of supply of fluid ressure medium having a sup y line leading to the well, a return line eading from the well, and means controlling ilow to t e suppl line by pressure in the return li inclu in ma'cr valve and piston chambers, connecte di erential area valve and piston members in the respective chambers, the valve normally obstructing flow to the supfrom the upper portion of chamber 5 under these conditions closes the check valve lll nected with said 10 medium ply line, a minor flow line for-conducting ressure medium to the pistonchamber, a`

flow valve.

3. In combination with a well having a discharge line, a source ofsupply of fluid pressure mediumhavmg a sup y line lead- 'mg to the well, a return line eading from the well,'and means controlling flow to the suppl line by pressure in the return line inclu ing major valve and piston chambers,

' 20 connected differential area valve and piston members in the respective chambers, the valve normally obstructing flew to the supply line, a minor flow line for conducting pressure medium to the piston chamber, pri- '25 in ary and secondary diaphragm chambers,

valve, the return line openin 3e chambe y hragms in said chambers, a valve contro ing flow through the minor flow line and connected with the primary diaphragm,'a spring urging saiddiaphragm to close said to the primary chamber at the side of t ediaphra ,opposite the spring to supply pressure gti-i' opening said valve against the tension of sai spring, a vent from the major piston r, a valve controlling said vent and connected vwith the secondary diaphragm, -means vfor conducting `the supply line to the chamber to urge the secondaryy dia hragm to close the vent valve, and means @ducting pressure mediumso delivered to said secondary chamber to Athe .primary -diaphragm chamber to supplement tension of the s rin in the primary dia hragm chamlber or c osing the valve in t e minor ow ine.

4. In combination with a well havin a discharge line, a source of supply of fiiid pressure medium having a supp y line leading to the well, a return line eading from the well, and. means controlling flow to the sup ly line by pressure in the return line in- -c u ng major valveand connected differential varea valve and'piston members in the respective chambers, the valve normally obstructing flow to the ply'line, a minor flow line for conductin pressure medium to the piston chamber, primary and secondary diaphragm chambers, dia hragms in said cham ers, a valve contro ing flow through the minor fiow line and connected with theprimary diaphragm, a spring urging said diaphragm to c ose said valve, t e return line o nin to the primary chamber at the side o the 'aphragm oppoline to the opposite side 0f the diaphragm or closing the minor in the discharge line, a' source piston chambers, Y

sup; -th

through the conducting line `inclu valve against the tension of said ing said vent from the major pistonchamspring, a

nected with `th for" conducting supplyY line' to c amber to urge the A close the -vent valve, means pressure medium so delivered tosaidv secondary chamber to the primary daphra chamber to supplement tension of the spring primary diaphragm chamber for closing the valve inthe minor flow line, a storage tank having back the supplyv line through the portion of the lsecondary diaphragm cham connection with the su plying the tank and for va ve back check connectionv between the tank and pressure me opening the vent sup 1y line forv equalizing pressure inthe tanlli and line.

5. In'combination with a well discharge line, a source of supply of -fluid pressure medium havinga sup y line leadyin'g to the well, a primary vallve normally closing the sup ly linez and responsive to fluid pressure or opening the line, a line for supplying fluid pressure medium to open the primary valve, a return line leading from the well, and means responsive to pressure induced by rising head of fluid in the return line contr9lling flow through the conducting hne.vl

6.In combination with a well havin a of supply of-lliid pressure medium having a supp y line leading to the well, a primary valve normally closing the su fluid pressure or opening the line, a line for supplying fluid pressure medium to o n lthe primary valve, a return line lea ing lfrom the well, and means responsive to sure induced by rising head of fiuid in the return line for opening the conducting line and to greater-pressure inthe supply line for closing the conducting line.

vcheck connection with 'v by back pressure from the tank, and

ply line, and responsive to presthe spring to 'supply pressure forop-env ber opposite the primary chamber, for

having a ios 7. In combination with a well having a f discharge line,a source of supply of fluid pressure medium having a supp y line leading to the well, a primary v'alve normally closing the sup 1y linez and responsive to fluid pressure or opening the line, a line for supplying fluid pressure medium' too en e primary valve, means controlling ow ing a piston valve, and a return line leading from the well to the piston valve for opening the valve in response to pressure induced by risin head of fluid in the return line.

8. n combination with a well having a discharge line, a source of supply of fluid pressure medium having a su ly line leading to the well, a primary v ve normally ieu.-

,non

line.

yimmense and responsive to fluid pressure for opening for supplying fluid pressure medium to open` the primary valve, means controlling flow through the conducting line including a valve chamber in the conducting line, a piston chamber, connected piston and valve members in said chambers, and a return line leading from the well to the unseating side of the piston chamber, for unseating the valve in response to increase of pressure induced by rising head of fluid in the return 9. In combination witha well having a discharge line, a source of supply of fluid ressure medium having a sup ly line leading to the well, a primary va ve normally closing the supply line, and responsive to fluid pressure for opening the line, a line for supplying fluid pressure medium to o n the primary valve, means controllin ow tlhrough the donducting yline inclu mg a valve chamber in the conducting line, a piston chamber, connectedpiston and valve members in said chambers, a return line leading from the well to the unseating side of the piston chamber for unseating the valve in response to increase in pressure induced. b rising head of fluid in the return line, an a line of communication between the .4 supply line and opposteside of said piston chambenfor reseating the valve in res onse to pressure in the supply line.

n testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE B. SMALI.

so f' 

